What I do …

barn (Photo credit: Extra Medium)

OK here is the deal with foaling out a mare, NO two are EVER the same! You cannot go by the shape of the belly, the bag, or her behavior. Being on foal watch is why I have been slack on my blog posting. Heck, I haven’t even had time to read other blogs or freshly pressed. And do you want to hear the kicker … this isn’t even MY mare that has caused me to get 10 hours sleep in the past week. And no, I do not board horses. Or at least I don’t get paid for boarding horses. This mare belongs to someone else (family member). He hasn’t been here to see his horses, a total of 4, since January. Yes, he knows that this mare is very close to foaling and instead of visiting last weekend, he went fishing. Worthless, yes worthless in my eyes. The sad thing is that I can’t control what he does any more than I can control this mare foaling. I can only control what I do. And what I do is … I take care of horses. I put their well-being above my own. I don’t know this mare per say, but I know that she is a nervous wreck and needs someone to assure her that everything is going to be ok. And, since she has an owner who won’t take care of her … I will.

You see, I don’t think that we ever really own a horse. I think that they are sent to us when we need them the most. I know that when my “Big Boy” left me, his “soul” went to someone else who needed him more. Horses are just on loan. Though their spirit remains with previous owners, their soul moves on. Speaking of “that” spirit … that is why the mare is now out of the pasture and here at the barn with me. Last Friday night right before dark it hit me that I had to go to the pasture. When my husband asked where I was going, I told him that I needed to go to the far pasture. Why? I had no idea. When I got to the gate, this mare was standing there scared to death. She was biting her sides as the baby was kicking around which was visible when his hoof would push her side out. I opened the gate to go in and she was having none of that. She walked out of the pasture and proceeded to walk swiftly the quarter of a mile to my barn. No halter or lead, she knew where she was going and nothing was stopping her. I followed behind her in the golf cart. Remember, she has never been to my yard or barn so how did she know where to go? I know it sounds stupid but I swear my Big Boy was leading her.

This mare is supposedly a mean alpha mare to hear her owner talk. She has been nothing but a big baby since “coming home” to my barn. I have no idea when this mare will foal. I know that we are closer every day that passes. I apologize to her daily that her owner is not here to take care of her. She stands quietly and listens as I call him some very choice words. Her eyes are terrified but I can see a very sweet soul. I will continue to be here for her because that is what I do. I will be with her when it is time for her to welcome her baby into the world. I will be support or even help if she needs it. Why? Because that is what I do. It is what I believe to be right. So this week I have learned a lesson. Horses come to us when we  need them and … horses also come to us when they need us. So for as long as she needs me … I am here. That is what I do.

 

Thank You Michael for 14 Years …

In 1999 I imagined …

It would be a beautiful spring day. I would be a little nervous but excited to start the rest of my life. I would be so in love. I would close my eyes and remember a blind date that had set all of this in motion. The long walks on the beach as the sun was setting. Getting lost on one of those walks resulting in a panic attack. The way he would react would be perfect. I would be a sweaty mess by the time that we found where we parked.  In his eyes, I would still be beautiful. To him, I would be Beautiful, always.

He would be very mechanical. I love a man who can make things new again. Someone who could take something that someone has discarded and use his talent to make it beautiful. My first car was a classic mustang. How romantic would it be if he would restore a classic mustang, build it with his own hands, and smile as he handed me the keys.

We may or may not be able to have children. If we got pregnant 5 times and have five babies, he would be a nervous wreck … but happy. If we got pregnant 5 times and lost all 5 babies due to miscarriage, he would be supportive to let me deal with each one individually. I could cry on his shoulder asking why this has happened. I wouldn’t expect him to have answers, but he would feel my pain and even hurting he would remain strong.

He would understand my love of animals. He would know that if a stray shows up it will get a warm meal and probably be home for life. He would care for the animals if I was unable to. He might say that he hates dogs all the while living with 5 or 6 of them at even given time. He would understand my connection with horses. He would understand that I am much happier mucking stalls than cleaning house.

My need for creative endeavors and not being able to sit still would be amusing to him. He would enjoy watching me jot down notes in my to do notebook and never expect even half of the items to get done. I make notes, lots of notes. I love organized clutter. My creative juices don’t flow…they overflow.

He would appreciate my love for my family. He would understand that if my parents called and needed me I would be on the road to get to them. He would understand that my Mom is my hero and I am and always will be a Daddy’s girl.  He won’t think that it is strange that I talk to my parents on the phone at least 4 times a day.

I would love him like no one has ever loved him and I would feel the love reciprocated. When he was strong, I could relax and when he was  weak I would step up and be the strong one. Our marriage would be important and we would make sure to never take each other for granted.

14 years later all of this has come to fruition. I celebrate my anniversary today with my husband. He has been all of this for me and more. We have had our ups and downs (every marriage does). But we work daily to make our marriage better and better.  I love him more today than I did 14 years ago. I look forward to many more years with the love of my life.  Thank you Michael! I love you all the stars in the sky.

 

The Wonderful World of Social Media

Image via CrunchBase

Daily Prompt: The Social Network

Do you feel like you “get” social media, or do you just use it because that’s where all your friends and family are?

Absolutely, I get social media. I get that so many folks (that I am friends with) use Facebook to air dirty laundry, bash people, and promote themselves. Whether it be a status update or a quote/picture, you know that by previous posts they are still trying to push the knife in just a little bit farther. What makes me laugh is when they post, “I wish people would mind their own business”. Really? You put it out there that (names changed to protect the “innocent”) Bobby is cheating on you with Sadie Sue and you hate him, but you love him so much yadda yadda yadda. Of course, there are people who are going to reply. Heck, they reply to EVERY post on Facebook! So yes,  please share every detail about every second of your life and then get mad because people are in your business. “Who would have thunk (more of my southern slang) it”, as my Dad says.

The thought crosses my mind to delete them as a friend. Yes, with one click of the mouse, click, that person is “deleted” or “blocked”. But, let’s be honest there may be a time that I need a “drama fix”and I can always count on Facebook. I don’t think that I will delete her until I find out if Bobby chooses her, Sadie Sue, or both.

I’m not bashing Facebook. I have reconnected with friends from my past and enjoy it when they post pictures of their families. It is fun to chat with folks that you haven’t talked to (or even thought about) in twenty years. I also enjoy posting a few pictures every now and again. But, folks who update their status every time that they sneeze or post a picture of the hairball that the cat just coughed up drive me crazy. In their defense, it WAS me who accepted their friend request. I guess hindsight really is 20/20.

Twitter is a different story. I remember setting up a twitter account years ago when tweeting was not the thing to do. I maybe tweeted once. I didn’t quite understand the concept then and I don’t know if I do today. I don’t remember my log in information and honestly don’t feel it necessary to go through the process of retrieving it. I don’t twit or tweet or whatever they are calling it these days.

So to summarize, I turn to Facebook when my life is running short on drama. But honestly that doesn’t happen too often. Today being April Fools Day I read posts that I hope were pranks but, knowing my fb friends I can not be certain. I saw six positive pregnancy test pictures this morning. One was posted by a 73-year-old Grandma of a friend. I seriously hope that this one is NOT a prank. If true, I am sure that her granddaughter will be posting about something other than Sadie Sue and Bobby.